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JOHN  HENRY  NASH 


fijr-is^Aj^ 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 


THE  VERY  PLEASANT  &  DELECTABLE 
TALE  OF  CUPID  AND  PSYCHE  TRANS- 
LATED FROM  THE  LATIN  OF  LUCIUS 
APULEIUS  BY  WALTER  PATER  %%%% 

IN  A  certain  city  lived  a  king  and  queen  who 
had  three  daughters  exceeding  fair.  But  the 
beauty  of  the  elder  sisters,  though  pleasant 
to  behold,  yet  passed  not  the  measure  of  hu- 
man praise,  while  such  was  the  loveliness  of  the 
youngest  that  men's  speech  was  too  poor  to  com- 
mend it  worthily  and  could  express  it  not  at  all. 
Many  of  the  citizens  and  of  strangers,  whom  the 
fame  of  this  excellent  vision  had  gathered  thither, 
confounded  by  that  matchless  beauty,  could  but 
kiss  the  finger-tips  of  their  right  hands  at  sight 
of  her,  as  in  adoration  to  the  goddess  Venus  her- 
self. And  soon  a  rumour  passed  through  the  coun- 
try that  she  whom  the  blue  deep  had  borne,  for- 
fi$  bearing  her  divine  dignity,  was  even  then  moving 
among  men,  or  that  by  some  fresh  germination 
from  the  stars,  not  the  sea  now,  but  the  earth,  had 
put  forth  a  new  Venus,  endued  with  the  flower  of 
virginity.  %  This  belief,  with  the  fame  of  the  maid- 
en's loveliness,  went  daily  further  into  distant  lands, 
so  that  many  people  were  drawn  together  to  be- 


LL. 


Cupid  hold  that  glorious  model  of  the  age.  Men  sailed 
&  no  longer  to  Paphos,  to  Cnidus  or  Cythera,  to  the 

Psyche  presence  of  the  goddess  Venus :  her  sacred  rites 
were  negle&ed,  her  images  stood  uncrowned,  the 
cold  ashes  were  left  to  disfigure  her  forsaken  al- 
tars. It  was  to  a  maiden  that  men's  prayers  were 
offered,  to  a  human  countenance  they  looked,  in 
propitiating  so  great  a  godhead :  when  the  girl  went 
forth  in  the  morning  they  strewed  flowers  on  her 
way,  and  the  vi&ims  proper  to  that  unseen  goddess 
were  presented  as  she  passed  along.  This  convey- 
ance of  divine  worship  to  a  mortal  kindled  mean- 
time the  anger  of  the  true  Venus.  "Lo!  now,  the 
ancient  parent  of  nature,"  she  cried, w  the  fountain 
of  all  elements !  Behold  me,  Venus,  benign  mother 
of  the  world,  sharing  my  honours  with  a  mortal 
maiden,  while  my  name,  built  up  in  heaven,  is  pro- 
faned by  the  mean  things  of  earth !  Shall  a  per- 
ishable woman  bear  my  image  about  with  her? 
In  vain  did  the  shepherd  of  Ida  prefer  me!  Yet 
shall  she  have  little  joy,  whosoever  she  be,  of  her 
usurped  and  unlawful  loveliness ! "  Thereupon  she 
called  to  her  that  winged,  bold  boy,  of  evil  ways, 
who  wanders  armed  by  night  through  men's  houses, 
spoiling  their  marriages ;  dC  stirring  yet  more  by  her 


speech  his  inborn  wantonness,  she  led  him  to  the  Cupid 
city,  and  showed  him  Psyche  as  she  walked.  %  "I  & 
pray  thee,"  she  said,  "give  thy  mother  a  full  re-  Psyche 
venge.  Let  this  maid  become  the  slave  of  an  un- 
worthy love."  Then,  embracing  him  closely,  she 
departed  to  the  shore  and  took  her  throne  upon 
the  crest  of  the  wave.  And  lo!  at  her  unuttered 
will,  her  ocean-servants  are  in  waiting:  the  daugh- 
ters of  Nereus  are  there  singing  their  song,  and 
Portunus,  and  Salacia,  and  the  tiny  charioteer 
of  the  dolphin,  with  a  host  of  Tritons  leaping 
through  the  billows.  And  one  blows  softly  through 
his  sounding  sea-shell,  another  spreads  a  silken 
web  against  the  sun,  a  third  presents  the  mirror 
to  the  eyes  of  his  mistress,  while  the  others  swim 
side  by  side  below,  drawing  her  chariot.  Such  was 
the  escort  of  Venus  as  she  went  upon  the  sea.  j$ 
Psyche  meantime,  aware  of  her  loveliness,  had  no 
fruit  thereof.  All  people  regarded  and  admired, 
but  none  sought  her  in  marriage.  It  was  but  as 
on  the  finished  work  of  the  craftsman  that  they 
gazed  upon  that  divine  likeness.  Her  sisters,  less 
fair  than  she,  were  happily  wedded.  She,  even  as 
a  widow,  sitting  at  home,  wept  over  her  desolation, 
hating  in  her  heart  the  beauty  in  which  all  men 


Cupid  were  pleased.  j$  And  the  king,  supposing  the  gods 
&  were  angry,  inquired  of  the  oracle  of  Apollo,  and 

Psyche  Apollo  answered  him  thus:  "Let  the  damsel  be 
placed  on  the  top  of  a  certain  mountain,  adorned 
as  for  the  bed  of  marriage  &C  of  death.  Look  not 
for  a  son-in-law  of  mortal  birth;  but  for  that  evil 
serpent-thing,  by  reason  of  whom  even  the  gods 
tremble  and  the  shadows  of  Styx  are  afraid."  %  So 
the  king  returned  home  and  made  known  the  or- 
acle to  his  wife.  For  many  days  she  lamented,  but 
at  last  the  fulfilment  of  the  divine  precept  is  ur- 
gent upon  her,  and  the  company  make  ready  to 
condud:  the  maiden  to  her  deadly  bridal.  And 
now  the  nuptial  torch  gathers  dark  smoke  and 
ashes:  the  pleasant  sound  of  the  pipe  is  changed 
into  a  cry:  the  marriage  hymn  concludes  in  a  sor- 
rowful wailing :  below  her  yellow  wedding- veil  the 
bride  shook  away  her  tears;  insomuch  that  the 
whole  city  was  affli&ed  together  at  the  ill-luck  of 
the  stricken  house.  %  But  the  mandate  of  the  god 
impelled  the  hapless  Psyche  to  her  fate,  and,  these 
solemnities  being  ended,  the  funeral  of  the  living 
soul  goes  forth,  all  the  people  following.  Psyche, 
bitterly  weeping,  assists  not  at  her  marriage  but 
at  her  own  obsequies,  and  while  the  parents  hesi- 


tate  to  accomplish  a  thing  so  unholy  the  daugh-  Cupid 
ter  cries  to  them :  "Wherefore  torment  your  luck-  & 
less  age  by  long  weeping?  This  was  the  prize  of  Psyche 
my  extraordinary  beauty!  When  all  people  cele- 
brated us  with  divine  honours,  and  in  one  voice 
named  the  New  Venus,  it  was  then  ye  should  have 
wept  for  me  as  one  dead.  Now  at  last  I  under- 
stand that  that  one  name  of  Venus  has  been  my 
ruin.  Lead  me  and  set  me  upon  the  appointed 
place.  I  am  in  haste  to  submit  to  that  well-omened 
marriage,  to  behold  that  goodly  spouse.  Why  de- 
lay the  coming  of  him  who  was  born  for  the  de- 
stru&ion  of  the  whole  world?"  %  She  was  silent, 
and  with  firm  step  went  on  the  way.  And  they  pro- 
ceeded to  the  appointed  place  on  a  steep  moun- 
tain, and  left  there  the  maiden  alone,  and  took 
their  way  homewards  deje&edly.  The  wretched 
parents,  in  their  close-shut  house,  yielded  them- 
selves to  perpetual  night;  while  to  Psyche,  fearful 
and  trembling  and  weeping  sore  upon  the  moun- 
tain-top, comes  the  gentle  Zephyrus.  He  lifts  her 
mildly,  and,  with  vesture  afloat  on  either  side,  bears 
her  by  his  own  soft  breathing  over  the  windings 
of  the  hills,  and  sets  her  lightly  among  the  flow- 
ers in  the  bosom  of  a  valley  below,  jjf  Psyche,  in 


Cupid  those  delicate  grassy  places,  lying  sweetly  on  her 
&  dewy  bed,  rested  from  the  agitation  of  her  soul 

Psyche  and  arose  in  peace.  And  lo !  a  grove  of  mighty 
trees,  with  a  fount  of  water,  clear  as  glass,  in  the 
midst;  and  hard  by  the  water,  a  dwelling-place, 
built  not  by  human  hands  but  by  some  divine 
cunning.  One  recognized,  even  at  the  entering,  the 
delightful  hostelry  of  a  god.  Golden  pillars  sus- 
tained the  roof,  arched  most  curiously  in  cedar- 
wood  and  ivory.  The  walls  were  hidden  under 
wrought  silver: — all  tame  and  woodland  creatures 
leaping  forward  to  the  visitor's  gaze.  Wonderful 
indeed  was  the  craftsman,  divine  or  half-divine, 
who  by  the  subtlety  of  his  art  had  breathed  so 
wild  a  soul  into  the  silver!  The  very  pavement 
was  distind  with  pi&ures  in  goodly  stones.  In  the 
glow  of  its  precious  metal  the  house  is  its  own 
daylight,  having  no  need  of  the  sun.  Well  might 
it  seem  a  place  fashioned  for  the  conversation  of 
gods  with  men!  %  Psyche,  drawn  forward  by  the 
delight  of  it,  came  near,  and,  her  courage  growing, 
stood  within  the  doorway.  One  by  one,  she  ad- 
mired the  beautiful  things  she  saw;  and,  most 
wonderful  of  all!  no  lock,  no  chain,  nor  living 
guardian  protected  that  great  treasure-house.  But 
6 


as  she  gazed  there  came  a  voice — a  voice,  as  it  Cupid 
were  unclothed  of  bodily  vesture — "Mistress!"  & 
it  said,  "all  these  things  are  thine.  Lie  down,  and  Psyche 
relieve  thy  weariness,  and  rise  again  for  the  bath 
when  thou  wilt.  We  thy  servants,  whose  voice  thou 
hearest,  will  be  beforehand  with  our  service,  and 
a  royal  feast  shall  be  ready."  %  And  Psyche  under- 
stood that  some  divine  care  was  providing,  and, 
refreshed  with  sleep  and  the  bath,  sat  down  to  the 
feast.  Still  she  saw  no  one:  only  she  heard  words 
falling  here  and  there,  and  had  voices  alone  to 
serve  her.  And  the  feast  being  ended,  one  entered 
the  chamber  and  sang  to  her  unseen,  while  an- 
other struck  the  chords  of  a  harp,  invisible  with 
him  who  played  on  it.  Afterwards  the  sound  of 
a  company  singing  together  came  to  her,  but  still 
so  that  none  was  present  to  sight;  yet  it  appeared 
that  a  great  multitude  of  singers  was  there.  %  And 
the  hour  of  evening  inviting  her,  she  climbed  into 
the  bed;  and  as  the  night  was  far  advanced,  be- 
hold a  sound  of  a  certain  clemency  approaches 
her.  Then,  fearing  for  her  maidenhood  in  so  great 
solitude,  she  trembled,  and  more  than  any  evil  she 
knew  dreaded  that  she  knew  not.  And  now  the 
husband,  that  unknown  husband,  drew  near,  and 


Cupid  ascended  the  couch,  and  made  her  his  wife;  and 
&  lo !  before  the  rise  of  dawn  he  had  departed  hast- 

Psycbe  ily.  And  the  attendant  voices  ministered  to  the 
needs  of  the  newly  married.  And  so  it  happened 
with  her  for  a  long  season.  And  as  nature  has 
willed,  this  new  thing,  by  continual  use,  became 
a  delight  to  her:  the  sound  of  the  voice  grew  to 
be  her  solace  in  that  condition  of  loneliness  and 
uncertainty.  %  One  night  the  bridegroom  spoke 
thus  to  his  beloved,  "O  Psyche,  most  pleasant 
bride!  Fortune  is  grown  stern  with  us,  and  threat- 
ens thee  with  mortal  peril.  Thy  sisters,  troubled  at 
the  report  of  thy  death  and  seeking  some  trace  of 
thee,  will  come  to  the  mountain's  top.  But  if  by 
chance  their  cries  reach  thee,  answer  not,  neither 
look  forth  at  all,  lest  thou  bring  sorrow  upon 
me  and  destruction  upon  thyself."  Then  Psyche 
promised  that  she  would  do  according  to  his  will. 
But  the  bridegroom  was  fled  away  again  with  the 
night.  And  all  that  day  she  spent  in  tears,  repeat- 
ing that  she  was  now  dead  indeed,  shut  up  in  that 
golden  prison,  powerless  to  console  her  sisters  sor- 
rowing after  her,  or  to  see  their  faces ;  6C  so  went  to 
rest  weeping.  %  And  after  a  while  came  the  bride- 
groom again,  and  lay  down  beside  her,  and  em- 
8 


bracing  her  as  she  wept,  complained,  "Was  this  Cupid 
thy  promise,  my  Psyche?  What  have  I  to  hope  & 
from  thee?  Even  in  the  arms  of  thy  husband  thou  Psyche 
ceasest  not  from  pain.  Do  now  as  thou  wilt.  In- 
dulge thine  own  desire,  though  it  seeks  what  will 
ruin  thee.  Yet  wilt  thou  remember  my  warning, 
repentant  too  late."  Then,  protesting  that  she  is 
like  to  die,  she  obtains  from  him  that  he  suffer 
her  to  see  her  sisters,  and  present  to  them  more- 
over what  gifts  she  would  of  golden  ornaments; 
but  therewith  he  ofttimes  advised  her  never  at  any 
time,  yielding  to  pernicious  counsel,  to  enquire  con- 
cerning his  bodily  form,  lest  she  fall,  through  un- 
holy curiosity,  from  so  great  a  height  of  fortune, 
nor  feel  ever  his  embrace  again.  "I  would  die  a 
hundred  times,"  she  said,  cheerful  at  last,  "rather 
than  be  deprived  of  thy  most  sweet  usage.  I  love 
thee  as  my  own  soul,  beyond  comparison  even  with 
Love  himself.  Only  bid  thy  servant  Zephyrus 
bring  hither  my  sisters,  as  he  brought  me.  My 
honeycomb!  My  husband!  Thy  Psyche's  breath 
of  life!"  So  he  promised;  and  after  the  embraces 
of  the  night,  ere  the  light  appeared,  vanished  from 
the  hands  of  his  bride,  jjj  And  the  sisters,  coming 
to  the  place  where  Psyche  was  abandoned,  wept 


Cupid  loudly  among  the  rocks,  and  called  upon  her  by 
&  name,  so  that  the  sound  came  down  to  her,  and 

Psyche  running  out  of  the  palace  distraught,  she  cried, 
"Wherefore  afflid  your  souls  with  lamentation? 
I  whom  you  mourn  am  here."  Then,  summoning 
Zephyrus,  she  reminded  him  of  her  husband's 
bidding;  and  he  bare  them  down  with  a  gentle 
blast.  "Enter  now,"  she  said, "into  my  house,  and 
relieve  your  sorrow  in  the  company  of  Psyche  your 
sister."  j$  And  Psyche  displayed  to  them  all  the 
treasures  of  the  golden  house,  and  its  great  family 
of  ministering  voices,  nursing  in  them  the  malice 
which  was  already  at  their  hearts.  And  at  last  one 
of  them  asks  curiously  who  the  lord  of  that  celes- 
tial array  may  be,  and  what  manner  of  man  her 
husband?  And  Psyche  answered  dissemblingly, 
"A  young  man,  handsome  and  mannerly,  with  a 
goodly  beard.  For  the  most  part  he  hunts  upon 
the  mountains."  And  lest  the  secret  should  slip 
from  her  in  the  way  of  further  speech,  loading 
her  sisters  with  gold  and  gems,  she  commanded 
Zephyrus  to  bear  them  away.  §  And  they  returned 
home,  on  fire  with  envy.  "See  now  the  injustice 
of  fortune!"  cried  one.  "We,  the  elder  children, 
are  given  like  servants  to  be  the  wives  of  strang- 
10 


ers,  while  the  youngest  is  possessed  of  so  great  Cupid 
riches,  who  scarcely  knows  how  to  use  them.  You  & 
saw,  Sister!  what  a  hoard  of  wealth  lies  in  the  Psyche 
house;  what  glittering  gowns;  what  splendour  of 
precious  gems,  besides  all  that  gold  trodden  under 
foot.  If  she  indeed  hath,  as  she  said,  a  bridegroom 
so  goodly,  then  no  one  in  all  the  world  is  happier. 
And  it  may  be  that  this  husband,  being  of  divine 
nature,  will  make  her  too  a  goddess.  Nay!  so  in 
truth  it  is.  It  was  even  thus  she  bore  herself.  Al- 
ready she  looks  aloft  and  breathes  divinity,  who, 
though  but  a  woman,  has  voices  for  her  hand- 
maidens, and  can  command  the  winds."  "Think," 
answered  the  other,  "how  arrogantly  she  dealt 
with  us,  grudging  us  these  trifling  gifts  out  of  all 
that  store,  and  when  our  company  became  a  bur- 
den, causing  us  to  be  hissed  and  driven  away  from 
her  through  the  air!  But  I  am  no  woman  if  she 
keep  her  hold  on  this  great  fortune;  and  if  the 
insult  done  us  has  touched  thee  too,  take  we  coun- 
sel together.  Meanwhile  let  us  hold  our  peace,  and 
know  nought  of  her,  alive  or  dead.  For  they  are 
not  truly  happy  of  whose  happiness  other  folk 
are  unaware."  jjf  And  the  bridegroom,  whom  still 
she  knows  not,  warns  her  thus  a  second  time,  as 


ii 


Cupid  he  talks  with  her  by  night:  "Seest  thou  what  peril 
&  besets  thee?  Those  cunning  wolves  have  made 

Psyche  ready  for  thee  their  snares,  of  which  the  sum  is 
that  they  persuade  thee  to  search  into  the  fashion 
of  my  countenance,  the  seeing  of  which,  as  I  have 
told  thee  often,  will  be  the  seeing  of  it  no  more 
for  ever.  But  do  thou  neither  listen  nor  make  an- 
swer to  aught  regarding  thy  husband.  Besides,  we 
have  sown  also  the  seed  of  our  race.  Even  now 
this  bosom  grows  with  a  child  to  be  born  to  us, 
a  child,  if  thou  but  keep  our  secret,  of  divine  qual- 
ity; if  thou  profane  it,  subject  to  death."  And 
Psyche  was  glad  at  the  tidings,  rejoicing  in  that 
solace  of  a  divine  seed,  and  in  the  glory  of  that 
pledge  of  love  to  be,  and  the  dignity  of  the  name 
of  mother.  Anxiously  she  notes  the  increase  of  the 
days,  the  waning  months.  And  again,  as  he  tarries 
briefly  beside  her,  the  bridegroom  repeats  his  warn- 
ing: "Even  now  the  sword  is  drawn  with  which 
thy  sisters  seek  thy  life.  Have  pity  on  thyself, 
sweet  wife,  and  upon  our  child,  and  see  not  those 
evil  women  again."  But  the  sisters  make  their  way 
into  the  palace  once  more,  crying  to  her  in  wily 
tones,  "O  Psyche!  and  thou  too  wilt  be  a  mother! 
How  great  will  be  the  joy  at  home !  Happy  indeed 
12 


shall  we  be  to  have  the  nursing  of  the  golden  Cupid 
child.  Truly  if  he  be  answerable  to  the  beauty  of  & 
his  parents,  it  will  be  a  birth  of  Cupid  himself."  $  Psyche 
So,  little  by  little,  they  stole  upon  the  heart  of  their 
sister.  She,  meanwhile,  bids  the  lyre  to  sound  for 
their  delight,  and  the  playing  is  heard:  she  bids 
the  pipes  to  move,  the  quire  to  sing,  and  the  music 
and  the  singing  come  invisibly,  soothing  the  mind 
of  the  listener  with  sweetest  modulation.  Yet  not 
even  thereby  was  their  malice  put  to  sleep :  once 
more  they  seek  to  know  what  manner  of  husband 
she  has,  and  whence  that  seed.  And  Psyche,  sim- 
ple overmuch,  forgetful  of  her  first  story,  answers, 
"My  husband  comes  from  a  far  country,  trading 
for  great  sums.  He  is  already  of  middle  age,  with 
whitening  locks."  And  therewith  she  dismisses 
them  again.  And  returning  home  upon  the  soft 
breath  of  Zephyrus  one  cried  to  the  other,  "What 
shall  be  said  of  so  ugly  a  lie?  He  who  was  a  young 
man  with  goodly  beard  is  now  in  middle  life.  It 
must  be  that  she  told  a  false  tale:  else  is  she  in 
very  truth  ignorant  what  manner  of  man  he  is. 
Howsoever  it  be,  let  us  destroy  her  quickly.  For 
if  she  indeed  knows  not,  be  sure  that  her  bride- 
groom is  one  of  the  gods:  it  is  a  god  she  bears  in 


Cupid  her  womb.  And  let  that  be  far  from  us!  If  she  be 
&  called  mother  of  a  god,  then  will  life  be  more  than 

Psyche  I  can  bear."  $  So,  full  of  rage  against  her,  they  re- 
turned to  Psyche,  and  said  to  her  craftily,  "Thou 
livest  in  an  ignorant  bliss,  all  incurious  of  thy  real 
danger.  It  is  a  deadly  serpent,  as  we  certainly  know, 
that  comes  to  sleep  at  thy  side.  Remember  the 
words  of  the  oracle,  which  declared  thee  destined 
to  a  cruel  beast.  There  are  those  who  have  seen 
it  at  nightfall,  coming  back  from  its  feeding.  In 
no  long  time,  they  say,  it  will  end  its  blandish- 
ments. It  but  waits  for  the  babe  to  be  formed  in 
thee,  that  it  may  devour  thee  by  so  much  the 
richer.  If  indeed  the  solitude  of  this  musical  place, 
or  it  may  be  the  loathsome  commerce  of  a  hidden 
love,  delight  thee,  we  at  least  in  sisterly  piety  have 
done  our  part."  And  at  last  the  unhappy  Psyche, 
simple  and  frail  of  soul,  carried  away  by  the  terror 
of  their  words,  losing  memory  of  her  husband's 
precepts  and  her  own  promise,  brought  upon  her- 
self a  great  calamity.  Trembling  and  turning  pale, 
she  answers  them,  "And  they  who  tell  those  things, 
it  may  be,  speak  the  truth.  For  in  very  deed  never 
have  I  seen  the  face  of  my  husband,  nor  know  I  at 
all  what  manner  of  man  he  is.  Always  he  frights 


me  diligently  from  the  sight  of  him,  threatening  Cupid 
some  great  evil  should  I  too  curiously  look  upon  & 
his  face.  Do  ye,  if  ye  can  help  your  sister  in  her  Psyche 
great  peril,  stand  by  her  now."  %  Her  sisters  an- 
swered her,  "The  way  of  safety  we  have  well  con- 
sidered, and  will  teach  thee.  Take  a  sharp  knife, 
and  hide  it  in  that  part  of  the  couch  where  thou 
art  wont  to  lie:  take  also  a  lamp  filled  with  oil, 
and  set  it  privily  behind  the  curtain.  And  when 
he  shall  have  drawn  up  his  coils  into  the  accus- 
tomed place,  and  thou  hearest  him  breathe  in  sleep, 
slip  then  from  his  side  and  discover  the  lamp,  and, 
knife  in  hand,  put  forth  thy  strength,  and  strike 
off  the  serpent's  head."  And  so  they  departed  in 
haste.  %  And  Psyche  left  alone  (alone  but  for  the 
furies  which  beset  her)  is  tossed  up  and  down  in 
her  distress,  like  a  wave  of  the  sea;  and  though  her 
will  is  firm,  yet,  in  the  moment  of  putting  hand 
to  the  deed,  she  falters,  and  is  torn  asunder  by  va- 
rious apprehension  of  the  great  calamity  upon  her. 
She  hastens  and  anon  delays,  now  full  of  distrust, 
and  now  of  angry  courage:  under  one  bodily  form 
she  loathes  the  monster  and  loves  the  bridegroom. 
But  twilight  ushers  in  the  night;  and  at  length  in 
haste  she  makes  ready  for  the  terrible  deed.  Dark- 


Cupid  ness  came, and  the  bridegroom;  and  he  first, after 
&  some  faint  essay  of  love,  falls  into  a  deep  sleep.  % 

Psyche  And  she,  erewhile  of  no  strength,  the  hard  pur- 
pose of  destiny  assisting  her,  is  confirmed  in  force. 
With  lamp  plucked  forth,  knife  in  hand,  she  put 
by  her  sex ;  and  lo !  as  the  secrets  of  the  bed  be- 
came manifest,  the  sweetest  and  most  gentle  of  all 
creatures,  Love  himself,  reclined  there,  in  his  own 
proper  loveliness !  At  sight  of  him  the  very  flame 
of  the  lamp  kindled  more  gladly !  But  Psyche  was 
afraid  at  the  vision,  and,  faint  of  soul,  trembled 
back  upon  her  knees,  and  would  have  hidden  the 
steel  in  her  own  bosom.  But  the  knife  slipped  from 
her  hand;  and  now,  undone,  yet  ofttimes  looking 
upon  the  beauty  of  that  divine  countenance,  she 
lives  again.  She  sees  the  locks  of  that  golden  head, 
pleasant  with  the  unction  of  the  gods,  shed  down 
in  graceful  entanglement  behind  and  before,  about 
the  ruddy  cheeks  and  white  throat.  The  pinions 
of  the  winged  god,  yet  fresh  with  the  dew,  are 
spotless  upon  his  shoulders,  the  delicate  plumage 
wavering  over  them  as  they  lie  at  rest.  Smooth  he 
was,  and,  touched  with  light,  worthy  of  Venus  his 
mother.  At  the  foot  of  the  couch  lay  his  bow  and 
arrows,  the  instruments  of  his  power,  propitious 
16 


to  men.  j$  And  Psyche,  gazing  hungrily  thereon,  Cupid 
draws  an  arrow  from  the  quiver,  and  trying  the  & 
point  upon  her  thumb,  tremulous  still,  drave  in  the  Psyche 
barb,  so  that  a  drop  of  blood  came  forth.  Thus 
fell  she,  by  her  own  ad,  and  unaware,  into  the  love 
of  Love.  Falling  upon  the  bridegroom,  with  in- 
drawn breath,  in  a  hurry  of  kisses  from  eager  and 
open  lips,  she  shuddered  as  she  thought  how 
brief  that  sleep  might  be.  And  it  chanced  that  a 
drop  of  burning  oil  fell  from  the  lamp  upon  the 
god's  shoulder.  Ah !  maladroit  minister  of  love, 
thus  to  wound  him  from  whom  all  fire  comes; 
though  'twas  a  lover,  I  trow,  first  devised  thee,  to 
have  the  fruit  of  his  desire  even  in  the  darkness ! 
At  the  touch  of  the  fire  the  god  started  up,  and 
beholding  the  overthrow  of  her  faith,  quietly  took 
flight  from  her  embraces.  %  And  Psyche,  as  he  rose 
upon  the  wing,  laid  hold  on  him  with  her  two 
hands,  hanging  upon  him  in  his  passage  through 
the  air,  till  she  sinks  to  the  earth  through  weari- 
ness. And  as  she  lay  there,  the  divine  lover,  tarry- 
ing still,  lighted  upon  a  cypress  tree  which  grew 
near,  and,  from  the  top  of  it,  spake  thus  to  her, 
in  great  emotion.  "Foolish  one!  unmindful  of  the 
command  of  Venus,  my  mother,  who  had  devoted 

17 


Cupid  thee  to  one  of  base  degree,  I  fled  to  thee  in  his 
&  stead.  Now  know  I  that  this  was  vainly  done.  Into 

Psyche  mine  own  flesh  pierced  mine  arrow,  and  I  made 
thee  my  wife,  only  that  I  might  seem  a  monster 
beside  thee — that  thou  shouldst  seek  to  wound  the 
head  wherein  lay  the  eyes  so  full  of  love  to  thee! 
Again  and  again,  I  thought  to  put  thee  on  thy 
guard  concerning  these  things,  and  warned  thee 
in  loving-kindness.  Now  I  would  but  punish  thee 
by  my  flight  hence."  And  therewith  he  winged  his 
way  into  the  deep  sky.  %  Psyche,  prostrate  upon 
the  earth,  and  following  far  as  sight  might  reach 
the  flight  of  the  bridegroom,  wept  and  lamented; 
and  when  the  breadth  of  space  had  parted  him 
wholly  from  her,  cast  herself  down  from  the  bank 
of  a  river  which  was  nigh.  But  the  stream,  turning 
gentle  in  honour  of  the  god,  put  her  forth  again 
unhurt  upon  its  margin.  And  as  it  happened,  Pan, 
the  rustic  god,  was  sitting  just  then  by  the  water- 
side, embracing,  in  the  body  of  a  reed,  the  god- 
dess Carina;  teaching  her  to  respond  to  him  in  all 
varieties  of  slender  sound.  Hard  by,  his  flock  of 
goats  browsed  at  will.  And  the  shaggy  god  called 
her,  wounded  and  outworn,  kindly  to  him  and 
said,  "I  am  but  a  rustic  herdsman,  pretty  maiden, 
18 


yet  wise,  by  favour  of  my  great  age  and  long  ex-  Cupid 
perience;  and  if  I  guess  truly  by  those  faltering  & 
steps,  by  thy  sorrowful  eyes  and  continual  sigh-  Psyche 
ing,  thou  labourest  with  excess  of  love.  Listen  then 
to  me,  and  seek  not  death  again,  in  the  stream  or 
otherwise.  Put  aside  thy  woe,  and  turn  thy  prayers 
to  Cupid.  He  is  in  truth  a  delicate  youth :  win  him 
by  the  delicacy  of  thy  service."  %  So  the  shepherd- 
god  spoke,  and  Psyche,  answering  nothing,  but 
with  a  reverence  to  his  serviceable  deity,  went  on 
her  way.  And  while  she,  in  her  search  after  Cupid, 
wandered  through  many  lands,  he  was  lying  in 
the  chamber  of  his  mother,  heart-sick.  And  the 
white  bird  which  floats  over  the  waves  plunged 
in  haste  into  the  sea,  and  approaching  Venus,  as 
she  bathed,  made  known  to  her  that  her  son  lies 
affli&ed  with  some  grievous  hurt,  doubtful  of  life. 
And  Venus  cried,  angrily,  "My  son,  then,  has  a 
mistress !  And  it  is  Psyche,  who  witched  away  my 
beauty  and  was  the  rival  of  my  godhead,  whom 
he  loves!" %  Therewith  she  issued  from  the  sea, 
and  returning  to  her  golden  chamber,  found  there 
the  lad,  sick,  as  she  had  heard,  and  cried  from  the 
doorway, "  Well  done,  truly !  to  trample  thy  moth- 
er's precepts  under  foot,  to  spare  my  enemy  that 

*9 


Cupid  cross  of  an  unworthy  love;  nay,  unite  her  to  thy- 
&  self,  child  as  thou  art,  that  I  might  have  a  daugh- 

Psyche  ter-in-law  who  hates  me!  I  will  make  thee  repent 
of  thy  sport,  and  the  savour  of  thy  marriage  bitter. 
There  is  one  who  shall  chasten  this  body  of  thine, 
put  out  thy  torch  and  unstring  thy  bow.  Not  till 
she  has  plucked  forth  that  hair,  into  which  so  oft 
these  hands  have  smoothed  the  golden  light,  and 
sheared  away  thy  wings,  shall  I  feel  the  injury  done 
me  avenged."  And  with  this  she  hastened  in  anger 
from  the  doors.  %  And  Ceres  and  Juno  met  her, 
and  sought  to  know  the  meaning  of  her  troubled 
countenance.  "Ye  come  in  season,"  she  cried;  "I 
pray  you,  find  for  me  Psyche.  It  must  needs  be 
that  ye  have  heard  the  disgrace  of  my  house."  And 
they,  ignorant  of  what  was  done,  would  have 
soothed  her  anger,  saying,"  What  fault,  Mistress, 
hath  thy  son  committed,  that  thou  wouldst  destroy 
the  girl  he  loves?  Knowest  thou  not  that  he  is  now 
of  age?  Because  he  wears  his  years  so  lightly  must 
he  seem  to  thee  ever  but  a  child?  Wilt  thou  for 
ever  thus  pry  into  the  pastimes  of  thy  son,  always 
accusing  his  wantonness, and  blaming  in  him  those 
delicate  wiles  which  are  all  thine  own?"  Thus,  in 
secret  fear  of  the  boy's  bow,  did  they  seek  to  please 
20 


him  with  their  gracious  patronage.  But  Venus,  Cupid 
angry  at  their  light  taking  of  her  wrongs,  turned  & 
her  back  upon  them,  and  with  hasty  steps  made  her  Psyche 
way  once  more  to  the  sea.  %  Meanwhile  Psyche, 
tost  in  soul,  wandering  hither  and  thither,  rested 
not  night  or  day  in  the  pursuit  of  her  husband, 
desiring,  if  she  might  not  soothe  his  anger  by  the 
endearments  of  a  wife,  at  the  least  to  propitiate 
him  with  the  prayers  of  a  handmaid.  And  seeing 
a  certain  temple  on  the  top  of  a  high  mountain, 
she  said,  "Who  knows  whether  yonder  place  be 
not  the  abode  of  my  lord?"  Thither,  therefore,  she 
turned  her  steps,  hastening  now  the  more  because 
desire  and  hope  pressed  her  on,  weary  as  she  was 
with  the  labours  of  the  way,  and  so,  painfully 
measuring  out  the  highest  ridges  of  the  mountain, 
drew  near  to  the  sacred  couches.  She  sees  ears  of 
wheat,  in  heaps  or  twisted  into  chaplets;  ears  of 
barley  also,  with  sickles  and  all  the  instruments  of 
harvest,  lying  there  in  disorder,  thrown  at  random 
from  the  hands  of  the  labourers  in  the  great  heat. 
These  she  curiously  sets  apart,  one  by  one,  duly 
ordering  them;  for  she  said  within  herself,  "I  may 
not  negled  the  shrines,  nor  the  holy  service,  of 
any  god  there  be,  but  must  rather  win  by  suppli- 

21 


Cupid  cation  the  kindly  mercy  of  them  all."  %  And  Ceres 
&  found  her  bending  sadly  upon  her  task,  and  cried 

Psyche  aloud,  "Alas,  Psyche !  Venus,  in  the  furiousness  of 
her  anger,  tracks  thy  footsteps  through  the  world, 
seeking  for  thee  to  pay  her  the  utmost  penalty; 
and  thou,  thinking  of  anything  rather  than  thine 
own  safety,  hast  taken  on  thee  the  care  of  what 
belongs  to  me!"  Then  Psyche  fell  down  at  her 
feet,  and  sweeping  the  floor  with  her  hair,  washing 
the  footsteps  of  the  goddess  in  her  tears,  besought 
her  mercy,  with  many  prayers : — "  By  the  gladden- 
ing rites  of  harvest,  by  the  lighted  lamps  and  mystic 
marches  of  the  Marriage  and  mysterious  Inven- 
tion of  thy  daughter  Proserpine,  and  by  all  beside 
that  the  holy  place  of  Attica  veils  in  silence,  min- 
ister, I  pray  thee,  to  the  sorrowful  heart  of  Psyche ! 
Suffer  me  to  hide  myself  but  for  a  few  days  among 
the  heaps  of  corn,  till  time  have  softened  the  anger 
of  the  goddess,  and  my  strength,  out-worn  in  my 
long  travail,  be  recovered  by  a  little  rest."  %  But 
Ceres  answered  her,  "Truly  thy  tears  move  me,and 
I  would  fain  help  thee;  only  I  dare  not  incur  the 
ill-will  of  my  kinswoman.  Depart  hence  as  quickly 
as  may  be."  And  Psyche,  repelled  against  hope, 
afflicted  now  with  twofold  sorrow,  making  her 

22 


way  back  again,  beheld  among  the  half-lighted  Cupid 
woods  of  the  valley  below  a  sanctuary  builded  with  & 
cunning  art.  And  that  she  might  lose  no  way  of  Psyche 
hope,  howsoever  doubtful,  she  drew  near  to  the 
sacred  doors.  She  sees  there  gifts  of  price,  and 
garments  fixed  upon  the  door-posts  and  to  the 
branches  of  the  trees,  wrought  with  letters  of  gold 
which  told  the  name  of  the  goddess  to  whom  they 
were  dedicated,  with  thanksgiving  for  that  she  had 
done.  So,  with  bent  knee  and  hands  laid  about  the 
glowing  altar,  she  prayed  saying,  "Sister  and  spouse 
of  Jupiter !  be  thou  to  these  my  desperate  fortunes, 
Juno  the  Auspicious!  I  know  that  thou  dost  will- 
ingly help  those  in  travail  with  child;  deliver 
me  from  the  peril  that  is  upon  me."  And  as  she 
prayed  thus,  Juno,  in  the  majesty  of  her  godhead, 
was  straightway  present,  and  answered,  "Would 
that  I  might  incline  favourably  to  thee;  but  against 
the  will  of  Venus,  whom  I  have  ever  loved  as  a 
daughter,  I  may  not,  for  very  shame,  grant  thy 
prayer."  %  And  Psyche,  dismayed  by  this  new  ship- 
wreck of  her  hope,  communed  thus  with  herself, 
"Whither,  from  the  midst  of  the  snares  that  be- 
set me,  shall  I  take  my  way  once  more?  In  what 
dark  solitude  shall  I  hide  me  from  the  all-seeing 

23 


Cupid  tye  of  Venus?  What  if  I  put  on  at  length  a  man's 
&  courage,  and  yielding  myself  unto  her  as  my  mis- 

Psyche  tress,  soften  by  a  humility  not  yet  too  late  the 
fierceness  of  her  purpose?  Who  knows  but  that  I 
may  find  him  also  whom  my  soul  seeketh  after, 
in  the  abode  of  his  mother?"  $  And  Venus,  re- 
nouncing all  earthly  aid  in  her  search,  prepared 
to  return  to  heaven.  She  ordered  the  chariot  to 
be  made  ready,  wrought  for  her  by  Vulcan  as  a 
marriage-gift,  with  a  cunning  of  hand  which  had 
left  his  work  so  much  the  richer  by  the  weight  of 
gold  it  lost  under  his  tool.  From  the  multitude 
which  housed  about  the  bed-chamber  of  their  mis- 
tress, white  doves  came  forth,  and  with  joyful  mo- 
tions bent  their  painted  necks  beneath  the  yoke. 
Behind  it,  with  playful  riot,  the  sparrows  sped  on- 
ward, &  other  birds  sweet  of  song,  making  known 
by  their  soft  notes  the  approach  of  the  goddess. 
Eagle  and  cruel  hawk  alarmed  not  the  quireful 
family  of  Venus.  And  the  clouds  broke  away,  as 
the  uttermost  ether  opened  to  receive  her,  daughter 
and  goddess,  with  great  joy.  %  And  Venus  passed 
straightway  to  the  house  of  Jupiter  to  beg  from 
him  the  service  of  Mercury,  the  god  of  speech. 
And  Jupiter  refused  not  her  prayer.  And  Venus 

24 


and  Mercury  descended  from  heaven  together;  Cupid 
and  as  they  went,  the  former  said  to  the  latter,  & 
"Thou  knowest,  my  brother  of  Arcady,  that  never  Psyche 
at  anytime  have  I  done  anything  without  thy  help ; 
for  how  long  time,  moreover,  I  have  sought  a  cer- 
tain maiden  in  vain.  And  now  nought  remains  but 
that,  by  thy  heraldry,  I  proclaim  a  reward  for  whom- 
soever shall  find  her.  Do  thou  my  bidding  quickly." 
And  therewith  she  conveyed  to  him  a  little  scrip, 
in  the  which  was  written  the  name  of  Psyche,  with 
other  things ;  and  so  returned  home.  %  And  Mer- 
cury failed  not  in  his  office;  but  departing  into  all 
lands,  proclaimed  that  whosoever  delivered  up  to 
Venus  the  fugitive  girl,  should  receive  from  herself 
seven  kisses — one  thereof  full  of  the  inmost  honey 
of  her  throat.  With  that  the  doubt  of  Psyche  was 
ended.  And  now,  as  she  came  near  to  the  doors 
of  Venus,  one  of  the  household,  whose  name  was 
Use-and-Wont,  ran  out  to  her  crying,"Hast  thou 
learned,  Wicked  Maid !  now  at  last !  that  thou  hast 
a  mistress?"  and  seizing  her  roughly  by  the  hair, 
drew  her  into  the  presence  of  Venus.  And  when 
Venus  saw  her,  she  cried  out,  saying, "Thou  hast 
deigned  then  to  make  thy  salutations  to  thy  mother- 
in-law.  Now  will  I  in  turn  treat  thee  as  becometh  a 

25 


Cupid  dutiful  daughter-in-law ! "  $  And  she  took  barley  QC 
&  millet  and  poppy-seed,  every  kind  of  grain  and  seed, 

Psyche  and  mixed  them  together,  and  laughed,  and  said 
to  her:  "Methinks  so  plain  a  maiden  can  earn  lov- 
ers only  by  industrious  ministry:  now  will  I  also 
make  trial  of  thy  service.  Sort  me  this  heap  of 
seed,  the  one  kind  from  the  others,  grain  by  grain ; 
and  get  thy  task  done  before  the  evening."  And 
Psyche,  stunned  by  the  cruelty  of  her  bidding,  was 
silent,  and  moved  not  her  hand  to  the  inextricable 
heap.  And  there  came  forth  a  little  ant,  which  had 
understanding  of  the  difficulty  of  her  task,  and 
took  pity  upon  the  consort  of  the  god  of  Love; 
and  he  ran  deftly  hither  and  thither,  and  called 
together  the  whole  army  of  his  fellows.  "Have 
pity,"  he  cried,  "nimble  scholars  of  the  Earth, 
Mother  of  all  things! — have  pity  upon  the  wife 
of  Love,  and  hasten  to  help  her  in  her  perilous 
effort."  Then,  one  upon  the  other,  the  hosts  of 
the  insed  people  hurried  together;  and  they  sorted 
asunder  the  whole  heap  of  seed,  separating  every 
grain  after  its  kind,  and  so  departed  quickly  out 
of  sight.  %  And  at  nightfall  Venus  returned,  and 
seeing  that  task  finished  with  so  wonderful  dili- 
gence, she  cried,  "The  work  is  not  thine,  thou 
26 


naughty  maid,  but  his  in  whose  eyes  thou  hast  Cupid 
found  favour."  And  calling  her  again  in  the  morn-  & 
ing,  "See  now  the  grove,"  she  said, "beyond  yon-  Psyche 
der  torrent.  Certain  sheep  feed  there,  whose  Reeces 
shine  with  gold.  Fetch  me  straightway  a  lock  of 
that  precious  stufF,having  gotten  it  as  thou  mayst." 
%  And  Psyche  went  forth  willingly,  not  to  obey 
the  command  of  Venus,  but  even  to  seek  a  rest 
from  her  labour  in  the  depths  of  the  river.  But 
from  the  river,  the  green  reed,  lowly  mother  of 
music, spake  to  her:  "O  Psyche!  pollute  not  these 
waters  by  self-destru&ion,  nor  approach  that  ter- 
rible flock;  for,  as  the  heat  groweth,  they  wax 
fierce.  Lie  down  under  yon  plane-tree,  till  the  quiet 
of  the  river's  breath  have  soothed  them.  There- 
after thou  mayst  shake  down  the  fleecy  gold  from 
the  trees  of  the  grove,  for  it  holdeth  by  the  leaves." 
jjf  And  Psyche,  instructed  thus  by  the  simple  reed, 
in  the  humanity  of  its  heart,  filled  her  bosom  with 
the  soft  golden  stuff,  and  returned  to  Venus.  But 
the  goddess  smiled  bitterly,  and  said  to  her,  "Well 
know  I  who  was  the  author  of  this  thing  also.  I 
will  make  further  trial  of  thy  discretion,  and  the 
boldness  of  thy  heart.  Seest  thou  the  utmost  peak 
of  yonder  steep  mountain?  The  dark  stream  which 

*7 


Cupid  flows  down  thence  waters  the  Stygian  fields,  and 
&  swells  the  flood  of  Cocytus.  Bring  me  now,  in  this 

Psyche  little  urn,  a  draught  from  its  innermost  source." 
And  therewith  she  put  into  her  hands  a  vessel 
of  wrought  crystal.  %  And  Psyche  set  forth  in 
haste  on  her  way  to  the  mountain,  looking  there 
at  last  to  find  the  end  of  her  hapless  life.  But 
when  she  came  to  the  region  which  borders  on 
the  cliff  that  was  showed  to  her,  she  understood 
the  deadly  nature  of  her  task.  From  a  great  rock, 
steep  and  slippery,  a  horrible  river  of  water  poured 
forth,  falling  straightway  by  a  channel  exceeding 
narrow  into  the  unseen  gulf  below.  And  lo !  creep- 
ing from  the  rocks  on  either  hand,  angry  serpents, 
with  their  long  necks  and  sleepless  eyes.  The 
very  waters  found  a  voice  and  bade  her  depart,  in 
smothered  cries  of,  depart  hence!  and  What  doest 
thou  here?  Look  around  thee!  and  cDestruclion  is  upon 
thee!  And  then  sense  left  her,  in  the  immensity  of 
her  peril,  as  one  changed  to  stone.  $  Yet  not  even 
then  did  the  distress  of  this  innocent  soul  escape 
the  steady  eye  of  a  gentle  providence.  For  the  bird 
of  Jupiter  spread  his  wings  and  took  flight  to  her, 
and  asked  her,  "Didst  thou  think,  simple  one, 
even  thou !  that  thou  couldst  steal  one  drop  of  that 
28 


relentless  stream,  the  holy  river  of  Styx,  terrible  Cupid 
even  to  the  gods?  But  give  me  thine  urn."  And  & 
the  bird  took  the  urn,  and  filled  it  at  the  source,  Psyche 
and  returned  to  her  quickly  from  among  the  teeth 
of  the  serpents,  bringing  with  him  of  the  waters, 
all  unwilling — nay!  warning  him  to  depart  away 
and  not  molest  them.  %  And  she,  receiving  the  urn 
with  great  joy,  ran  back  quickly  that  she  might 
deliver  it  to  Venus,  and  yet  again  satisfied  not  the 
angry  goddess.  "My  child! "  she  said,  "in  this  one 
thing  further  must  thou  serve  me.  Take  now  this 
tiny  casket,  and  get  thee  down  even  unto  hell,  and 
deliver  it  to  Proserpine.  Tell  her  that  Venus  would 
have  of  her  beauty  so  much  at  least  as  may  suffice 
for  but  one  day's  use,  that  beauty  she  possessed 
erewhile  being  foreworn  and  spoiled,  through  her 
tendance  upon  the  sick-bed  of  her  son ;  and  be  not 
slow  in  returning."  £  And  Psyche  perceived  there 
the  last  ebbing  of  her  fortune — that  she  was  now 
thrust  openly  upon  death,  who  must  go  down,  of 
her  own  motion,  to  Hades  and  the  Shades.  And 
straightway  she  climbed  to  the  top  of  an  exceed- 
ing high  tower,  thinking  within  herself,  "  I  will 
cast  myself  down  thence:  so  shall  I  descend  most 
quickly  into  the  kingdom  of  the  dead."  And  the 

29 


Cupid  tower,  again,  broke  forth  into  speech:  "Wretched 
&  Maid!  Wretched  Maid!  Wilt  thou  destroy  thy- 

Psycbe  self?  If  the  breath  quit  thy  body,  then  wilt  thou 
indeed  go  down  into  Hades,  but  by  no  means  re- 
turn hither.  Listen  to  me.  Among  the  pathless 
wilds  not  far  from  this  place  lies  a  certain  moun- 
tain, and  therein  one  of  hell's  vent-holes.  Through 
the  breach  a  rough  way  lies  open,  following  which 
thou  wilt  come,  by  straight  course,  to  the  castle  of 
Orcus.  And  thou  must  not  go  empty-handed.Take 
in  each  hand  a  morsel  of  barley-bread,  soaked  in 
hydromel;  and  in  thy  mouth  two  pieces  of  money. 
And  when  thou  shalt  be  now  well  onward  in  the 
way  of  death,  then  wilt  thou  overtake  a  lame  ass 
laden  with  wood,  and  a  lame  driver,  who  will  pray 
thee  reach  him  certain  cords  to  fasten  the  burden 
which  is  falling  from  the  ass :  but  be  thou  cautious 
to  pass  on  in  silence.  And  soon  as  thou  comest  to 
the  river  of  the  dead,  Charon,  in  that  crazy  bark 
he  hath,  will  put  thee  over  upon  the  further  side. 
There  is  greed  even  among  the  dead:  and  thou 
shalt  deliver  to  him,  for  the  ferrying,  one  of  those 
two  pieces  of  money,  in  such  wise  that  he  take  it 
with  his  hand  from  between  thy  lips.  And  as  thou 
passest  over  the  stream,  a  dead  old  man,  rising  on 

30 


the  water,  will  put  up  to  thee  his  mouldering  hands,  Cupid 
and  pray  thee  draw  him  into  the  ferry-boat.  But  & 
beware  thou  yield  not  to  unlawful  pity.  %  "When  Psyche 
thou  shalt  be  come  over,  and  art  upon  the  cause- 
way, certain  aged  women,  spinning,  will  cry  to  thee 
to  lend  thy  hand  to  their  work;  and  beware  again 
that  thou  take  no  part  therein;  for  this  also  is  the 
snare  of  Venus,  whereby  she  would  cause  thee  to 
cast  away  one  at  least  of  those  cakes  thou  bearest 
in  thy  hands.  And  think  not  that  a  slight  matter; 
for  the  loss  of  either  one  of  them  will  be  to  thee 
the  losing  of  the  light  of  day.  For  a  watch-dog  ex- 
ceeding fierce  lies  ever  before  the  threshold  of  that 
lonely  house  of  Proserpine.  Close  his  mouth  with 
one  of  thy  cakes;  so  shalt  thou  pass  by  him,  and 
enter  straightway  into  the  presence  of  Proserpine 
herself.  Then  do  thou  deliver  thy  message,  and 
taking  what  she  shall  give  thee,  return  back  again ; 
offering  to  the  watch-dog  the  other  cake,  and  to 
the  ferryman  that  other  piece  of  money  thou  hast 
in  thy  mouth.  After  this  manner  mayst  thou  re- 
turn again  beneath  the  stars.  But  withal,  I  charge 
thee,  think  not  to  look  into,  nor  open,  the  casket 
thou  bearest,  with  that  treasure  of  the  beauty  of  the 
divine  countenance  hidden  therein."  %  So  spake 

3i 


Cupid  the  stones  of  the  tower;  and  Psyche  delayed  not, 
&  but  proceeding  diligently  after  the  manner  en- 

Psyche  joined,  entered  into  the  house  of  Proserpine,  at 
whose  feet  she  sat  down  humbly,  and  would  nei- 
ther the  delicate  couch  nor  that  divine  food  the 
goddess  offered  her,  but  did  straightway  the  busi- 
ness of  Venus.  And  Proserpine  filled  the  casket 
secretly,  and  shut  the  lid,  and  delivered  it  to  Psy- 
che, who  fled  therewith  from  Hades  with  new 
strength.  But  coming  back  into  the  light  of  day, 
even  as  she  hasted  now  to  the  ending  of  her  ser- 
vice, she  was  seized  by  a  rash  curiosity.  "Lo !  now," 
she  said  within  herself, "  my  simpleness !  who  bear- 
ing in  my  hands  the  divine  loveliness,  heed  not  to 
touch  myself  with  a  particle  at  least  therefrom, 
that  I  may  please  the  more,  by  the  favour  of  it, 
my  fair  one,  my  beloved."  Even  as  she  spoke  she 
lifted  the  lid;  and  behold!  within,  neither  beauty, 
nor  anything  beside,  save  sleep  only,  the  sleep  of 
the  dead,  which  took  hold  upon  her,  filling  all  her 
members  with  its  drowsy  vapour,  so  that  she  lay 
down  in  the  way  and  moved  not,  as  in  the  slum- 
ber of  death.  %  And  Cupid  being  healed  of  his 
wound,  because  he  would  endure  no  longer  the 
absence  of  her  he  loved,  gliding  through  the  nar- 

32 


row  window  of  the  chamber  wherein  he  was  hold-  Cupid 
eji,  his  pinions  being  now  repaired  by  a  little  rest,  & 
fled  forth  swiftly  upon  them,  and  coming  to  the  Psyche 
place  where  Psyche  was,  shook  that  sleep  away 
from  her,  and  set  him  in  his  prison  again,  awak- 
ing her  with  the  innocent  point  of  his  arrow.  "Lo ! 
thine  old  error  again,"  he  said,  "which  had  like 
once  more  to  have  destroyed  thee!  But  do  thou  now 
what  is  lacking  of  the  command  of  my  mother: 
the  rest  shall  be  my  care."  With  these  words,  the 
lover  rose  upon  the  air;  and  being  consumed  in- 
wardly with  the  greatness  of  his  love,  penetrated 
with  vehement  wing  into  the  highest  place  of  heav- 
en, to  lay  his  cause  before  the  father  of  the  gods. 
And  the  father  of  gods  took  his  hand  in  his,  and 
kissed  his  face,  and  said  to  him,  "At  no  time,  my 
son,  hast  thou  regarded  me  with  due  honour.  Often 
hast  thou  vexed  my  bosom,  wherein  lies  the  dis- 
position of  the  stars,  with  those  busy  darts  of 
thine.  Nevertheless,  because  thou  hast  grown  up 
between  these  mine  hands,  I  will  accomplish  thy 
desire."  And  straightway  he  bade  Mercury  call  the 
gods  together;  and,  the  council-chamber  being 
filled,  sitting  upon  a  high  throne,  "Ye  gods,"  he 
said,  "all  ye  whose  names  are  in  the  white  book 

33 


Cupid  of  the  Muses,  ye  know  yonder  lad.  It  seems  good 
&  to  me  that  his  youthful  heats  should  by  some  means 

Psyche  be  restrained.  And  that  all  occasion  may  be  taken 
from  him,  I  would  even  confine  him  in  the  bonds 
of  marriage.  He  has  chosen  and  embraced  a  mortal 
maiden.  Let  him  have  fruit  of  his  love,  and  pos- 
sess her  for  ever."  %  Thereupon  he  bade  Mercury 
produce  Psyche  in  heaven ;  and  holding  out  to  her 
his  ambrosial  cup,  "Take  it,"  he  said,  "and  live  for 
ever;  nor  shall  Cupid  ever  depart  from  thee."  And 
the  gods  sat  down  together  to  the  marriage-feast. 
On  the  first  couch  lay  the  bridegroom,  and  Psyche 
in  his  bosom.  His  rustic  serving-boy  bare  the  wine 
to  Jupiter;  and  Bacchus  to  the  rest.  The  Seasons 
crimsoned  all  things  with  their  roses.  Apollo  sang 
to  the  lyre,  while  a  little  Pan  prattled  on  his  reeds, 
and  Venus  danced  very  sweetly  to  the  soft  music. 
Thus,  with  due  rites,  did  Psyche  pass  into  the 
power  of  Cupid;  and  from  them  was  born  the 
daughter  whom  men  called  Voluptas.  %  %  %  %  % 

Two  hundred  &  fifty  copies  of  this  hook  were  printed  by 
Taylor,  GlS[ash  &  Taylor,  San  Francisco,  in  GJS[oYember 
1914.  Frontispiece  by  cRay  F.  Coyle.  For  sale  by  John 
Howell,  107  Grant  Avenue,  San  Francisco.  cNp.    _$/ 

34 


6><H0%3^JK 


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